Check out the size of this cup of coffee. I think the size of the cup determines the amount of discretionary income that a society has. I am in San Francisco this week, and the cups in the Marina area of town determine the income present in the neighborhood. More photos to come. BTW, sushi rules at Umami. I would love to eat there every night. Lot's of work left to do over the next two weeks...hope to post more soon. Thanks for the love back to BrainBlenders.
iWood = iCrave
AHHHHHHH I Want one! I don't need it, hell...nobody needs it. I mean, if I'm totally honest, I probably didn't actually need an iPhone. There I said it.
But, that has nothing to do with the iWood by Miniot. These absolutely gorgeous phone cases are carved from one piece of wood and fit perfectly around your iPhone. They come in Cherry, Walnut, Oak, Padouk, and Mahogany. Padouk?
This is one more example of a growing trend of traditionally man-made products heading towards the natural. When you think about it, it makes perfect sense...we feel more and more disconnected from the planet. With all the news hitting us regarding our failing eco-structure it only seems natural that we would want a more tangible grasp on the real textures we feel further and further apart from. Even if that means wrapping your obscenely priced phone in wood. What's next? Cotton condoms? "Ahh, the touch of Cotton."
Hotel 21c Museum
This is one of the coolest hotels I have ever stayed in, and it's not in the middle of New York, or Vegas, or San Francisco. It's the Hotel 21c Museum in Louisville, KY. In this photo I am standing in front of the elevators looking at a GIANT video of myself with letters falling down on my frame bouncing off spelling out words like "justify" and "pandering" and "cheesy art props", kidding about the last one. It's just one more example of how 21c Museum Hotel has raised the bar on boutique hotels, and brought a very cool vibe into the otherwise, Holiday-Innness of the hotel traveler.
One of the things they highlight are these little red penguins. And by little and red, I mean 4 feet tall and flaming red. I am dedicating a picture album to the hotel and some of the things I have experienced here in the coming days. I am actually at the beginning of a several day trip that will culminate into several weeks of action. Look for all the documentation here on BrainBlenders. The a.brain North American Tour has begun - here's to hoping I can continue to run throughout my adventure.
Photo Album - with more pics coming in the next few days
Skystream 3.7
Had a chance to go to a conference this year that opened a conversation about energy conservation and many experts said that the future of energy conservation was actually in personal energy development. That blew me away! To tell the truth, I had no idea that affordable home energy opportunities were that close at hand. After hearing about thermowells, new solar capturing devices, and home size wind generators I was convinced that the next home I owned would be outfitted with as many energy supplying elements as I could manage.
Since then I have been keeping my eye on several sites to see what new technologies and specifically, products are coming out that might fit my needs in the next home. This product, the Skystream 3.7 is a renewable, wind generator designed for residential homes. This machine can actually spin your meter backwards in a good wind. That means you , not only don't spend as much with your local utility, but "in theory" could get paid by a utility company.
Standing 40 - 50 feet tall it requires a .5 acre of open space for wind, and costs $5,400. Makes me want to move today.
Paris Day 1
Hit the ground running at @ 9 AM Paris time, made it through the security and out into a rainy Paris Saturday morning. If you want advice, fly out of the country, and people will line up around the block to give you little tricks you can use to: a) sleep on the plane b) recover from jet lag c) how to handle your first day in a dramatically new time zone. I heard lot's of advice, and did none of these things...in retrospect maybe I should have taken something on the flight so that I could have actually slept. That seems to be the biggest detriment to my stay thus far.
After dropping off luggage we walked to a cafe and enjoyed a Parisian breakfast which consisted of really serious coffee, some kind of orange drink, and several types of bread. The croissant was one of the best I had ever had, however the buttered toast seemed a bit out of place. Walked to the Lourve and decided to take a good run at the Denon gallery. It was the first time I had seen the Mona Lisa and if I hadn't known it was the most popular painting in the world I wouldn't have guessed it in the presence of such magnificent scale. I hate to admit this now, but walking through the Lourve things tend to take on an almost pedestrian nature. For the first hour or so I was in awe of the work, then I found myself unable to process all the magnificence...I had to leave the building in order to get it through my head what I had just experienced. There is no way you can see it in one day.
eNook is here
Well, I went ahead and got an eNook. You know, the desk I mentioned a few months ago here on BrainBlenders that hangs on the wall and folds down enabling one to keep a tighter workspace. I really don't need a tighter work environment...but I do love the idea of being able to stand at my desk and have others walk up to the space and comfortably look off of my computer screen. And although many have questioned my sanity I really like it. My real hope is that it will afford me more communication space around my office. I would prefer the space to become a very open use location.
To give you some perspective the unfolded workspace is 42 inches high. 37 inches wide and 100% dope (sorry...listening to KRS-One right now).
The Knork
Can't tell you how much I dig this product. The Knork is a combination of a knife and a fork; not sharp enough to cut the inside of your mouth, but just sharp enough to help cut through food. Originally designed for eating pizza the Knork has been applied all across the board and is for sale individually, in packs, and in reusable plastic.
How much more does this rock than the spork?
milwaukee art museum
We should hold all our meetings inside artistic settings. Who is we? ALL OF US! It seems that people are fascinated lately with design as a vital element of all things consumerific, so I found it apropos that I found myself inside an art museum today ideating for new services and products. Not hard to spark creativity when the setting itself was almost stimulus enough for the entire day...sure makes the late nights worth the effort. For information about the MAM go here. For more pics check out my work pics down on the column on the right.
The Witty T-Shirt is Dead
Pssst, hey...come here, bad news, your clever t-shirt from Hot Topic sucks!
I hereby proclaim the death of the witticism on the common Cotton T. Why? Because they are prolific. The Hot Topics, Urban Outfitters, and any joker with a printing press and an on line presence is churning out the latest pop culture slogan on your choice of Small - X Large.
The T-shirt is not dead however, far from it. This little gem, for example is by a company called The Imaginary Foundation and all their stuff is pretty neat. I think their shirts look like the opening of Monty Python Flying Circus, and that makes me love them even more.
This shirt has a wonderful design, but an even more inspiring slogan, "The Future is Unwritten". Check out all the stuff they have...let me know what you think.